Virta Health pilot helps employees manage – and sometimes reverse – diabetes.
A diabetes diagnosis four years ago left employee Patty Johnson feeling embarrassed and unequipped to take the next steps. At that time, Patty says she did not manage her diabetes at all. She watched her physical condition, weight and feelings of shame around the disease take a turn for the worse.
All that changed last October when she received an email asking if she wanted to participate in a health initiative. The program, Virta Health, is a diet-based diabetes reversal program. Patty said yes, and since adopting the lifestyle change last fall, Patty’s metrics dropped significantly – an 80-100 point drop in her blood sugar levels in three months. She’s also dropped 30 pounds since October, which she calls a nice benefit.
“I couldn’t do it for myself; I needed a tool,” Patty says. “And I thank God that I took advantage of this opportunity with Virta Health that was made available to GE Appliances employees.”
Through Virta Health, Patty says she is held accountable and that is the biggest difference for her. The program includes an app on her phone that records all her blood sugar readings. She can now keep track of what she eats and how it affects her blood sugar.
“It’s all about the blood sugar and getting healthy,” Patty says. Her participation in and recent success with Virta Health has also helped her break out of shame around her diabetes. “Now I’m telling the world! It’s what’s working for me,” Patty says. “I’m so grateful for the Virta Health pilot. Had they not made this opportunity available, I would not have been able to make these changes to better manage my diabetes.”